


Life choices 4th year

by SlytherinSnape93



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Female Harry Potter, Forced Abortion, Good Severus Snape, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Incest, Severus Snape Has a Heart, Triwizard Tournament, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:35:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27406675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherinSnape93/pseuds/SlytherinSnape93
Summary: What happened during Erica's fourth year?Why is she sick?Why the goblet of fire choose her for the triwizard tournament?A story about about choices and hard decisions.Hope you like it!Comment!
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Comments: 1
Kudos: 72
Collections: Harry Potter Fic





	1. Ch 1

Erica's eyes shot open as she sat up startled " Erica, is everything okay?" asked Hermione looking at her friend with a concerned expression.

Erica looked around frantically and then calmed down as she realized she was on the Hogwarts express; she looked at Hermione and tried to smile reassuringly

" I'm fine Mione, it was just a nightmare …" as she said that she hoped she hadn't said something too revealing during her nightmare.

Ron and Hermione exchanged unsure glances " are you sure Rika? It seemed pretty bad …" said Ron, Erica sighed " Really, don't worry guys … i'm fine i promise…"

They looked at her for a minute unconvinced but then shrugged and returned to talk to each other leaving Erica to her thoughts.

She could still feel her uncle's chubby, sweaty hands exploring and touching her breasts, her hips her womanhood;

the disgust she felt when his mouth touched her skin;

the horror as she realized she was trapped under his big heavy fat body;

the sense of suffocation and oppression when he told her what he wanted to do to her;

and the pain …

The feeling of being split in twos he entered her virgin body;

the smell of blood and sweat … her muffled cries and sobs of anguish as he used her body for his pleasure, not caring about the excruciating pain he was giving her.

It had happened a month ago, but she couldn't forget the sensations.

Erica stared out of the window, lost in her dark memories until the train reached Hogwarts.

Snape looked at the Gryffondor table and sneered at the sight of the golden trio, especially when his eyes landed on the Potter brat who seemed depressed for some reason, he had expected her to brag about the wonderful summer she had with her loving relatives.

'Probably she wanted every one's attention but they're too concerned with the upcoming triwizard tournament… Figures!

That spoiled brat is always thinking everyone should cater to her every whim.

Just like her imbecile of a father!

She thinks she's so special when in reality she's just a spoiled and arrogant, vomit inducing, attention seeking brat!' he thought disdainfully, but his expression grew concerned as he saw Potter's face grew pale as she rose from her seat telling something to her know it all friend who nodded absentmindedly.

Then potter ran out of the great hall, but no one seemed to notice it aside for him.

Snape waited a few seconds before he too rose from his sit " I think i will retire in my rooms Albus, goodnight" he told the headmaster who smiled and bid him good night.

Snape exited from the great hall, saw Potter make her way towards the bathrooms on the second floor and immediately followed her ' what is the brat up to now ..' he thought suspiciously, as he saw her enter one of the stalls.

A few seconds later he heard violent wrenching noises, and decided to confront the brat.

The stall door opened and Snape saw Potter coming out, she saw him too and paled

" Professor … I … " she tried to talk but he interrupted her

" Is the food cooked by our house elves not of your liking oh great chosen one?"

He sneered down at her " well Potter, until you go back to your loving and adoring relatives you'll have to eat Hogwarts's common food prepared by our lowly servants!" he growled and saw tears well up in the witch's beautiful green eyes.

He felt a surge of guilt as he saw a tear escape her left eye, before she turned away quickly, he regretted the harsh words he just said " Potter … I" his hand touched her shoulder, and she flinched turning to look at him with big scared eyes.

Snape stared at her confused, did Potter think he would hurt her physically?

Erica glared at him " if you have nothing more to say to me then i bit you good night professor" her voice shook but before Snape could respond she was already out .

Snape coursed himself as he descended to the dungeons, he hadn't meant to accuse her, but as soon as he saw her the words left his mouth and he couldn't stop them

'Maybe if you stopped seeing James Potter's female version with Lily's eyes and give her a chance…' said a little voice, Snape shook his head " she's Potter's daughter ! As arrogant and spoiled as her father was!

The only good things she has inerehited from her mother are her eyes, nose and lips …"

Snape's eyes widened

" She's a student! Stop thinking like that! She's not even that attractive!

Besides she's too arrogant, spoiled and definitely too young!" he thought furiously as he entered his chambers he began to think how he could torment the Brat-who-confused-him in the upcoming year.

Erica wasn't feeling good, even if she threw up a few minutes ago she had the urge to vomit again, she tried to distract herself by unpacking her trunk but her stomach had other ideas so she sprang to the Griffondor common room Baths and threw up . Once her nausea had subsided she returned to her unpacking.

She was worried, what was wrong with her?

Those symptoms had begun a month and half ago and still hadn't passed.

She didn't know what was wrong with her but she hoped she would be better soon " I just hope that this year would be a normal one …" she whispered to herself as she put on her nightgown and went to bed.

Little did she know that her life would soon took an unexpected turn, and not a good one.

Erica woke at the sound of Ginny's voice "Erica, get up! We'll be late for class, you already slept through breakfast, fortunately i saved you some toast, bacon and a glass of pumpkin juice, get up!"

Erica yawned tiredly and got up muttering under her breath about stupid classmates acting like alarm clocks .

Ginny rolled her eyes while exiting the dormitory and Erica stared at her breakfast as a surge of nausea overwhelmed her forcing her to run to the bathroom.

After the nausea subsided Erica decided to skip breakfast, banished it and got dressed, as she looked at herself in the mirror she couldn't help but examine her profile

" Uhm, that's strange … It's almost as if i want to check on something …" she thought confused but shook the feeling while exiting the dorm and going to her first class of the day : transfiguration.

As Erica, Ron and Hermione were going in the dungeons for potions Erica wasn't feeling good, and just as they were about to enter the class a strong wave of nausea took her forcing the young witch to run towards the bathroom leaving her two friends behind staring worriedly at her.

" This can't be normal … It's almost two months that i have this nausea, I feel tired all the time and i'm more emotional… If these symptoms aren't gone by the end of the week I'm going to madame Pomfrey, I hope she can do something to cure me … oh crap!"

Erica realized she was late for potions and ran as fast as she could towards the classroom, as she entered she saw all her classmates already seated but Snape was nowhere to be seen.

Quickly she sat down at her place near Neville and was about to sigh in relief ' That was close, fortunately Snape's not …'

Her thoughts were interrupted as a dark shadow loomed over her " miss Potter … 20 points from Gryffondor for your tardiness. I thought you knew i hate tardy people.

But the great chosen one doesn't care about loosing her house so many points, anything for getting other people's attention on herself ! " he yelled, his face mere inches away from hers.

Erica tensed as Snape's black eyes stared angrily and deeply in hers then slowly landed on her lips.

Erica nervously darted her tongue to wet her dry lips and Snape's eyes darkened making her heart beat wildly in her chest.

Why was Snape staring at her lips? " I hope you will learn your lesson Potter… Next time I won't be so lenient …" she heard the slytherins's laughter and sighed " yes Professor …" Snape turned away from her and returned to his desk.

" Whoa mate! I thought he would have given you detention until the end of term … that was crazy!" said Ron, but Erica wasn't listening anymore, her thoughts on what had happened just a few seconds earlier . ' What was that about?' she thought confused.

That evening found Snape more frustrated than ever, what had happened?

Why hadn't he given the spoiled brat 'detention until the end of term', like Weasley had said?

She would have deserved that and even more!

She had the audacity to skip breakfast and then she was late for class, the little brat!

Then he thought about her scared expression, her beautiful green eyes wide with fear when their gazes had locked, the little pink tongue sliding slowly across those full pink lips wetting them; he imagined those lips against his.

How would it be kissing those lips, caressing those velvety cheeks …

Snape's eyes widened as he realized the dangerous path his thoughts were taking " No, stop it! She is your student! She could be your daughter, she's way too young, too spoiled, too arrogant! Get it together Severus! She's James's daughter … you hate her… why did she had to have her mother's eyes ?! Lily was ten times the woman that little brat would ever be! But then why all i wanted to do was kiss those lips? Unless …. No! I can't be attracted to her ! I simply can't!"

Snape thought angrily as he made his way towards his rooms.

A week later Erica's sickness hadn't subsided at all, everything she smelled gave her nausea and she felt so tired all the time " I hope madame Pompfrey can tell me what's wrong with me … I just hope is nothing serious …" she thought as she made her way towards the infirmary but a voice stopped her on her tracks " So Snotter … going somewhere ? I hope you liked the quidditch world cup! My father told me he met you there …"

Erica turned around and faced Malfoy " Oh yeah, I met him … and also his death eater friends … Now if you'll excuse me Malfoy I have somewhere to be …" she glared at him and tried to walk away.

Malfoy took her wrists and pulled her against him, staring in her eyes with an expression that Erica didn't like

" Malfoy … leave me alone or …" she began but Draco trapped her between his body and the wall " Are you scared Snotter?" he asked with a smile while his eyes roamed over her body making Erica suddenly realize what the blonde was thinking

" Y-y-you which …" she stuttered trying to sound brave but failing.

It was a nightmare, first her uncle then Malfoy.

Erica felt the slytherin' s hands on her breasts and her mind went blank " P-P-please Malfoy … Stop ! I don't want this! Stop it!" she whimpered trying to free herself from the boy's hold

" Do you think I care about what you want Potter? Your mouth may be saying no … but your body …" he began to grind his hips against hers.

Draco undid the first three buttons of her shirt exposing her bra clad breasts " whoa Potter … didn't know your tits were this nice … and your skin smells great …I think i will enjoy myself …" his mouth began to kiss her neck as his hands fondled her breasts and her nipples making Erica shredder in disgust as images she had tried so long to erase from her mind resurfaced making her eyes fill with tears

" M-M-Malfoy … stop pleaseeeeee … Stop … please" she pleaded but Draco ignored her, pressing his lips to hers muffling her screams.

Suddently a silky male voice coming form behind Malfoy said " Mr Malfoy, are you deaf ?"

Draco detached himself from the trembling girl and turned towards his Head of House " Professor … we weren't doing anything wrong ! Me and Potter were having fun!"

Draco smirked, but it vanished as soon as he saw Snape expression, his eyes were more dark than normal and his lips were set in a grim line.

" I wasn't aware forcing yourself on one of your class mates, after she repeatedly begged you to stop, was considered having fun …

Now Mr Malfoy, i would suggest you to go to your common room.

Come to my Office tonight, I think you and I will be having a very long talk … March!"

Draco's shoulders slumped and he made his way towards the dungeons but was stopped once again by Snape's voice " Also fifty points from Slytherin for assaulting a fellow student, mr Malfoy! Get out of my sight!"

Draco ran away quickly and Snape turned towards Erica, still pressed against the wall.

Erica couldn't believe it, Snape had reprimanded Malfoy.

And he had docked fifty points, from his own house !

Was the world ending? Had Snape finally lost it?

Snape turned towards her and she almost expected him to sneer and insult her, but as she looked at his face she saw only concern and worry and that made her stomach flutter

" Are you all right Miss Potter?" he asked her and Erica nodded not trusting her voice .

Then she realized her shirt was still unbuttoned and hastened to button it up blushing furiously " uhm … thanks Professor …" she muttered and Snape … blushed?

" Yes Miss Potter .. now go to your common room and don't worry about Malfoy …"

Erica nodded as she made her way down the stairs but was stopped again by Snape's voice " I would be grateful if you could keep what happened and the story of the points to yourself … I have a reputation …" Erica smiled " Don't worry Professor Snape … your secret is safe with me …" as she turned she thought she saw Snape smile.

That evening Draco made his way towards his godfather's office, thinking about what he could say to make it look like it was Potter's fault and not his , he knew that Severus had saw what he did but he hoped to convince his godfather that he was innocent, maybe he could count on the man's hatred towards Potter …   
As he knocked on Snape's office door, he felt suddenly a sense of dread and as he entered he knew that his plan wouldn't work " M-M-mother? what are you doing here?"


	2. Ch 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soooo looks like Draco is in for it…   
> And finally Erica will understand what's wrong with her!   
> Also will Draco survive his mother's wrath?  
> And who put Erica's name in the goblet?

Narcissa stared at Draco cooly " you know why I'm here Draco … Is it true that you tried to rape Miss Potter ?" Draco gulped and tried to make an excuse " No, mother… she was the one who threw herself at me and wouldn't stop…" but Narcissa cut him off

" Silence! Really Draco? Because from the memories Severus showed me it was exactly the opposite … she was the one who tried to walk away and you forced yourself on her!

You even told her you didn't care if she wanted it or not! Tell me Draco… did I raise you to treat women like objects?" she glared at her son who shook is head "No mother … but it was Potter and …"

At that moment Snape cut him off glaring " So what? Just because it was Potter, it was okay for you to try and rape her?! She is a girl and she too deserves respect!"

Severus felt like an hypocrite, after all he had bullied Erica with the same excuse his godson had used a few seconds before, but recently he had come to realize that Erica Potter wasn't at all her father.

Draco glared back at him " Why are you defending her if you hate her? She's a pathetic little bit-" he couldn't finish the phrase, because Narcissa slapped him across the face

" Draco Malfoy! Don't you dare speak to your godfather like that! And if I hear another bad word towards Miss Potter I swear you will make a trip on my knee! "

Draco felt his cheek sting and whimpered pathetically " But she is Potter ! She is an arrogant brat, she even refused my friendship choosing Weasley!"

Severus smirked " This proves she's smarter than I thought and she knows how to choose her friends wisely!"

Narcissa raised a brow at her son " How did you exactly ask her to be your friend Draco?" Draco gulped " I didn't exactly ask her … before the sorting she and Weasley were talking and I interrupted them introducing myself and told her not to associate with those blood traitors of the Weasleys but she told me she was capable to choose her friends wisely!"

At that point Severus smirked " so I was right … you acted like a spoiled brat who thought he could have his way … Miss Potter did the right thing to reject your ' friendship'…"

Draco stared at him as if he was bonkers " But I'm a Malfoy! I'm ten times better than that Weasley scum!" he said in a matter of fact tone but Narcissa glared at him

" Right now Draco you are proving your godfather's point by being an immature spoilt brat! If I were you my son, I would go to Miss Potter and try to make everything right ! You'd better go and apologize to her, she didn't deserve what you tried to do to her!" she yelled at him making Draco cower in fear, really his mother was more scary than his father sometimes.

' But you know she's right! you've been too much around father and inherited his way of thinking…' Draco sighed " of course mother … I'll apologize … "

Narcissa hugged her son firmly, before stepping away and looking straight into his eyes " you'd better … and if I hear once more that you tried to force your self on a school mate I'll make sure you won't be able to sit comfortably for a month!" she said making him blush furiously " of course mother !"

Narcissa flooed away leaving Draco and Severus alone " Uncle Sev … I'm sorry …" he turned to the man who glared at him

" It is not to me you should say that … but to miss Potter. And believe me, I will ask her if you did and if she tells me you didn't do it I'll add my punishment to your mother's" Severus threatened, voice hard making Draco shiver

" now get out of my sight !" Draco didn't need to be told twice and exited the office closing the door and leaving Severus alone with his thoughts.

Erica was scared, her hand was trembling as she stared at the item in it ; a package of tampons.

She felt fear as she realized something; she had a delay in her period.

A huge one of two months.

" Probably I just got flu, it can't be that i'm … I'm too young to have kids … I can't !" but no matter what she tried to tell herself, the symptoms she had pointed all to the same thing.

Erica stood on shaky legs " I have to go to madam Pomfrey, maybe she'll tell me it's not what i think and is something else entirely … I just hope it is ." she thought putting the tampons back in her trunk and exiting the dormitory reaching all the other students for dinner .

Once she reached the gryffondor table Hermione looked at her concerned " Erica are you all right ? You look pale … " Erica felt a pang of irritation and before she could stop herself she growled " Capitain Know It All pointed out the obvious ! Really I hadn't noticed!"

Ron and Hermione stared at her worriedly " Erica I'm worried about you ! There is no need to be mean!" said Hermione with a hurt gaze that made Erica sigh softly

" Sorry Mione … I don't know whats wrong with me … It's just … I'm tired and nervous …" Ron smiled softly " Maybe its that time of the month … you know when you girls are lunatic and crazy " Hermione elbowed him glaring " Hehe … maybe you are right …"

Erica felt bad lying to her friends, but she didn't want them to worry too much, especially over something that might not even be true ' But what if it is true? What if Madam Pompfrey will confirm that you are indeed with child?' Erica couldn't silence that nasty inner voice, and the more it spoke the more she feared it might be right.

Erica caught Malfoy staring at her and shivered as she remembered what happened two days earlier, and without noticing it her hand flew protectively to her stomach, under the table.

She just hoped her fears weren't true.

Erica slowly opened one eye and looked around the dark female dormitory making sure her class mates were all sleeping, once she was sure she slowly got out of the bed and silently opened her trunk. After taking out her invisibility cloak she exited the dormitory and the griffondor common room before putting the cloak on and making her way to the infirmary.

Once there she slowly entered finding it deserted " Madam Pompfrey ?" she called softly as saw the woman exiting her office. Madame Pompfrey looked around with a scared expression " who's there?" she asked but her fear soon turned into relieved confusion as Erica exited from under her invisibility cloak

" Miss Potter you should be in bed ! What are you doing here?" she whispered and Erica sighed " Madame pompfrey I need you to run a scan over me … I'm not feeling well … I have nausea and I feel tired and snappy all the time…"

Poppy stared at her for a long moment and then sighed " Ok miss potter, lay down on this bed and i will tell you what is wrong …"

Erica did as she was told while Madame pompfrey did a magical scan on her body, and soon a white sheet of parchment appeared.

Madame Pompfrey took it and read it, her expression changing from confusion to worry in a second " Miss Potter … when was the last time you had your period?" she asked in a serious tone and Erica felt her insides go cold

" Three months ago … why ? What did you find?" fear gripped at her heart, as the woman finally said " It seems here miss potter that you are nearly three months pregnant …"

Erica's eyes widened as Poppy gave her the results of her scan and then she passed out .

A few seconds later Erica reopened her eyes " and stared at Madame Pompfrey who was looking serious then her eyes landed on the parchment and she had no more doubts … she was indeed pregnant, her fears turned out to be true.

" Miss Potter, I need you to answer some questions for me … Do you have a boyfriend?" Poppy's tone was soft and Erica shook her head " No… I … don't" Poppy gave her a look " the father of the child should be informed … He is going to be a father, Erica… he deserv-"

Erica cut her off " he forced me …" she whispered tears gathering in her eyes, because she knew perfectly well who the father was .

Images of the night her Uncle raped her forced themselves in her mind making her tremble with disgust and fear.

She was pregnant, with her uncle's child!

Poppy paled " Miss potter … what do you mean ? " Erica felt rage bubbling in her

" He raped me! Do I have to spell it for you?" then she felt guilt " sorry Madame Pomfrey … I didn't mean …"

Poppy put a hand on her shoulder " It's fine Erica. It's the hormones … I'm sorry I imagine you would want to do something about this …"

Erica's eyes widened as she realized what Poppy was saying " I don't want to get rid of the child …yes his father raped me but that doesn't mean this child has to pay …" her hand flew protectively over her stomach and Pompfrey nodded gravely

"But you are too young to have a child, plus you are in school and this child is due before this school year will end … " Erica thought about it, Poppy was right she was too young to take care of a child " I will give her in adoption… anonymously of course …"

Poppy nodded softly " And there are somethings we need to take care of; no more playing quidditch … I'm sorry, you will have to find a good substitute for the team …also no more Potion class … the fumes could endanger the child "

Erica's eyes widened " Wait, I can't stop going to potions Snape will be suspicious … I don't want anyone to know about this! Please Madame Pomprey isn't there a way for me to go to potions without everyone knowing about my condition, and without endangering the child?" she pleaded and the woman thought about it

" As a matter of fact there is a spell that is undetectable and will protect your child from the fumes of all the potions … I will place it on you in a few moments… also no more defence…"

Erica nodded, that and the quidditch she could go without, and as for her team she already had a substitute.

Poppy placed the spell on her and after giving an anti nausea potion she told her to come to the infirmary for the checkup in two weeks.

Erica thanked her and after putting on her invisibility cloak she returned to the Griffondor Tower.

Two weeks later Erica entered the Infirmary and greeted Poppy " So Erica ready to know your child's gender?" Erica smiled softly and nodded as she laid down on the bed while Poppy scanned her " Congratulations Miss Potter! You are going to have a girl !" Erica's eyes filled with tears.

A girl, a little girl growing inside her.

It didn't matter that she was her uncle's child, Erica felt a rush of love for the unborn baby .

She knew that she will have to give the baby away once she was born but right now she was too happy to think about the future.

Erica exited the infirmary and went to her dormitory, a smile on her face, Hermione noticed it and asked " Happy aren't we ? Are you ready about tonight?"

For a moment Erica looked confused but then she remembered ; tonight the triwizard cup would choose the three champions for the triwizard tournament, she thanked the fact that she was still 14.

She hoped this year would be a normal one and that everyone would be too much involved with the tournament to pay attention to her.

Finally the moment came and the students reunited in the great hall al the triwizards cup was about to give the names of the champions.

The first champion for the school of Beuxbatons was the half Veela Fleur de la Cour, The champion for the school of Durmstrang was Vicktor Krum ( Ron had clapped very hard ), and the Hogwarts champion was the Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory. But as Dumbledore was about to go congratulate the champions, the cup lit up again and in that moment Erica felt a sense of dread in her stomach.

Dumbledore took the parchment and said " the fourth champion is … Erica Potter !"

" Erica Potter … Erica Potter!" yelled Dumbledore looking around, while Erica stood still hoping it was just a nightmare and she would wake soon.

Unfortunately Hermione shook her from her trance " Erica go! Dumbledore is calling you!"

She slowly got up and made her way towards the Headmaster who looked angry at her, Mc Gonagall had a very worried expression and Snape was glaring at her like always.

All the students were whispering nasty things calling her a cheater, a liar and Erica felt sick; she felt like in her second year when her Parseltongue abilities had been revealed and all the school thought she was Slytherin's Heiress.

They were judging her again for something she hadn't done!

For Merlin's sake, it was obvious that she hadn't put her name in the damn goblet!

She was 14 not 17, the goblet would have rejected her!

She finally reached Dumbledore who gave her a frosty glare before telling her to go with the other champions, while Madame Maxime was protesting outraged the she had cheated and she should be removed from the tournament.

She entered the room and the other three champions who turned to her with worried expressions

Fleur Delacour looked around when Erica walked in and threw back her long, silvery hair.

"What is it?" she said. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"

Erica just stood there, looking at the three champions. It struck her how very tall all of them were.

She heard a sound of scurrying feet behind her, and Ludo Bagman entered the room.

He took Erica by the arm and led her forward ' not so hard you are hurting me !' she wanted to scream but she was still in shock.

"Extraordinary!" he muttered, squeezing Erica's arm.

"Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen...lady," he added, approaching the fireside and addressing the other three.

"May I introduce the fourth Triwizard champion?"

Viktor Krum straightened up.

His face darkened as he surveyed Erica while Cedric looked nonplussed.

He looked from Bagman to Erica and back again as though sure he must have misheard what Bagman had said.

Fleur Delacour, however, tossed her hair, smiling, and said, "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."

"Joke?" Bagman repeated, bewildered. "No, no, not at all! Erica's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"

Krum's eyebrows contracted slightly.

Cedric was still looking bewildered while Fleur frowned.

"But evidently zair 'as been a mistake," she said contemptuously to Bagman.

"'She cannot compete. 'She is too young." Erica would have punched the obnoxious girl but she refrained.

"Well...it is amazing," said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Erica who couldn't share his enthusiasm, this was nothing but bad.

"But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure.

And as her name's come out of the goblet...It's down in the rules, she's obliged...Erica will just have to do the best she-"

The door behind them opened again, and Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape came in.

"Madame Maxime!" said Fleur at once, striding over to her headmistress.

"Zey are saying zat zis little girl is to compete also!"

Erica's felt a ripple of anger.

Little girl?

Madame Maxime had drawn herself up to her full, and considerable, height.

"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" she said imperiously.

"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," said Professor Karkaroff.

"I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions - or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"

"C'est impossible," said Madame Maxime, her enormous hand resting upon Fleur's shoulder.

"'Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most injust."

"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff

"Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."

"It's not Dumbledore nor Potter's fault, Karkaroff," said Snape softly looking at Erica who stared at him wide eyed not expecting him to defend her.

"I know she has been crossing lines ever since she arrived here, but this can't -"

"Thank you, Severus," said Dumbledore, and Snape went quiet, but gave Erica a searching look.

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Erica?" Dumbledore asked her .

"No," said Erica.

She was very aware of everybody watching her closely.

"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" said again Professor Dumbledore.

"No," said Erica vehemently.

"Ah, but of course 'she is lying!" cried Madame Maxime.

Snape was shaking his head, his lip curling and Erica thought that maybe he too believed that she was lying 'then why did he defend you a few seconds ago?' said a little voice in her head.

She didn't know what to think anymore.

"She could not have crossed the Age Line," said Professor McGonagall sharply.

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," said Madame Maxime, shrugging.

"It is possible, of course," said Dumbledore politely.

"Headmaster, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" said Professor McGonagall angrily.

"Mr. Crouch...Mr. Bagman," said Karkaroff, "Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"

Bagman looked at Mr. Crouch who said grimly "We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament.

There is nothing we can do to remove miss Potter from the tournament!"

"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front," said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.

"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students," said Karkaroff.

"You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore."

"But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that," said Bagman.

"The Goblet of Fire's just gone out - it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament ."

"I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards -" said Karkaroff

"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter," growled Alastor Moody entering the room at that moment, "but...funny thing...I don't hear her saying a word..."

"Why should 'she complain?" burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot.

"'She 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'she? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money - is is a chance many would die for!"

Erica nearly rolled her eyes, what an honor to be entered against her will in a possibly deadly tournament!

"Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it," said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl making a shiver run down Erica's spine.

An extremely tense silence followed these words.

"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime," said Karkaroff loudly.

"It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the girl's name in that goblet…" growled Moody and Snape nodded in agreement.

"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.

"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" said Moody.

"It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the tournament...I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category..."

"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody," said Karkaroff coldly, "There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage," Moody retorted in a menacing voice.

"Alastor!" said Dumbledore warningly.

Moody fell silent, though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction.

"How this situation arose, we do not know," said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone gathered in the room.

"It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it.

Both Cedric and Erica have been chosen to compete in the Tournament."

"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -"

"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it."

Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared.

She wasn't the only one either.

Karkaroff was livid; Bagman, looked rather excited. And Snape was looking at Erica with a concerned expression.

"Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?" said Ludo smiling

Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie.

"Yes," he said, "instructions. Yes...the first task..."

He moved forward into the firelight.

"The first task is designed to test your daring," he told Erica, Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor, "so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard...very important...

"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.

The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament.

The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands.

They will receive information about the second task when the first is over.

Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."

Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore.

"I think that's all, is it, Albus?"

"I think so," said Dumbledore "Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"

"No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry," said Mr. Crouch.

"Come on, Barty, I'm staying!" said Bagman brightly.

"I think not, Ludo," said Crouch with a touch of impatience.

"Professor Karkaroff - Madame Maxime - a nightcap?" said Dumbledore.

But Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and was leading her swiftly out of the room.

Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, exited, though in silence.

"Erica, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed," said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them

"I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise."

But Snape cut in " I'll escort miss Potter to Griffondor tower… Follow me Potter!" without even waiting for her he exited the room.

Erica glanced at Cedric, who nodded, and then she followed Snape.

After a few minutes of walking, she realized he was going in the dungeons, not in Griffondor Tower " Ehm … Professor … we are going in the dungeons …" she said softly and Snape scoffed " Acute observation Potter … Your point?"

Erica realized that Snape's tone lacked the usual hardness he used when speaking to her.

" Well, you said that you were going to accompany me to Griffondor tower …"

Snape sighed " Unlike the headmaster I observed your House mates reactions when your name came out … I don't think they plan on partying or celebrating … they are convinced you put your name in the Goblet, those dunderheads!

For tonight you will sleep down in my quarters… I asked the castle to make a room for you … "

Erica remained silent for a few seconds, she couldn't believe it . " Professor … uhm … thanks for well… standing up for me …" she stuttered embarrassed, but Snape shook his head " Here we are Miss Potter…" he stopped infront of a wall.

Snape whispered " Lily" and the wall opened to reveal a wooden door, which he opened before gesturing for Erica to enter.

Erica entered as Snape voice said " I hope you like it your room is the one to the right. It is small but …"

Erica's eyes were wide as she saw the door and opened it; the room was small but cozy, it had a bed a wardrobe and a little bathroom

" It's very beautiful Professor … but really you didn't have to …" her throat constricted as a wave of emotion took her by surprise. Snape smirked " It was nothing Miss Potter, really…" he couldn't finish the sentence, he felt Erica's arms around him and realized she was … hugging him.

He patted her back awkwardly " It was nothing really Potter!

There is no need for such dramatics now!" Erica realized she had hugged Snape and pulled back embarrassed

" Uhm … sorry… I don't know what came over me … The room's really good thanks … uhm but I don't have my nightgown …"

Snape accioed one of his shirts and gave it to her " you can use this … well if you are done with your dunderheadish dramatics miss Potter, I bid you Goodnight…"   
Snape turned and left before Erica could answer.


	3. A very difficult decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erica finally makes the hardest decision ...

Erica and Hermione arrived at Snape's dungeon after lunch, and they found the Slytherins waiting outside, all of them wearing a large badge on the front of his or her robes.

SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY-

THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION!

"Like them, Potter?" said Malfoy loudly as Erica approached. "And this isn't all they do - look!"

He pressed his badge into his chest, and the message upon it vanished, to be replaced by another one, which glowed green:

POTTER STINKS!

The Slytherins howled with laughter.

Each of them pressed their badges too, until the message POTTER STINKS was shining brightly all around Erica who felt the heat rise in his face and neck.

"Oh very funny," Hermione said sarcastically to Pansy Parkinson and her gang of Slytherin girls, who were laughing harder than anyone, "really witty."

Ron was standing against the wall with Dean and Seamus, but he wasn't sticking up for Erica.

"Want one, Granger?" said Malfoy, holding out a badge to Hermione.

"I've got loads.

But don't touch my hand, now.

I've just washed it, you see; don't want a Mudblood sliming it up."

Erica didn’t know why, maybe it was the hormones of her pregnancy or the rage she was feeling from a week of cold shoulder from all the houses.

She had reached for her wand before she'd thought what she was doing.

People all around them scrambled out of the way, backing down the corridor.

“Erica, no!” Hermione said warningly.

"Go on, then, Potter," Malfoy said quietly, drawing out his own wand. “Do it, if you've got the guts -"

"Funnunculus!" Erica yelled angrily .

"Densaugeo!" screamed Malfoy.

Jets of light shot from both wands, hit each other in midair, and ricocheted off at angles, Erica’s hit Goyle in the face, and Malfoy's hit Hermione.

Goyle bellowed and put his hands to his nose, where great ugly boils were springing up while Hermione, was clutching her mouth.

"Hermione!"

Erica turned and saw Hermione's front teeth, already larger than average were now growing at an alarming rate; she was looking more and more like a beaver as her teeth elongated, past her bottom lip, toward her chin - panic-stricken, Hermione let out a terrified cry.

“What is all this noise about?" said a soft, deadly voice.

Snape had arrived.

The Slytherins clamored to give their explanations.

Snape pointed a finger at Malfoy and said, "Explain."

"Potter attacked me, sir - and she hit Goyle - look -"

Snape examined Goyle "Hospital wing, Goyle," he said calmly.

"Malfoy got Hermione!" Ron said. "Look!"

He forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth.

Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls were doubled up with silent giggles, pointing at Hermione from behind Snape's back.

Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, "I see no difference."

Hermione let out a whimper; her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.

Erica started shouting at Snape, but he silenced her with a glare.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor and detention with me Miss Potter, Saturday at six.

Now get inside, or it'll be a week's worth of detentions."

Erica’s ears were ringing she couldn’t believe what Snape had done, after he had been so kind to her the night her.

He may have saved her when Malfoy tried to rape her, he might have been gentle with her after her name came out of the goblet but it all had been to gain her trust, he was a bastard who didn’t care at all about her… ‘ Just like Uncle Vernon did …

He tricked you with false kindness and then he stomped on your heart…

How could you forget the most important lesson the imparted you ?

You can’t trust adults, never again will you do it …!”.

She passed Snape, walked with Ron to the back of the dungeon, and slammed her bag down onto the table.

Ron sat down with Dean and Seamus leaving Erica alone at her table.

On the other side of the dungeon, Malfoy turned his back on Snape and pressed his badge, smirking.

POTTER STINKS flashed once more across the room.

"Antidotes!" said Snape, looking around at them all, his cold black eyes glittering unpleasantly.

"You should all have prepared your recipes now.

I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we will be selecting someone on whom to test one..."

Snape's eyes met Erica’s and the girl imagined picking up her cauldron,sprinting to the front of the class, and bringing it down on Snape's greasy head.

And then a knock on the dungeon door burst in on Erica’s thoughts.

It was Colin Creevey; he edged into the room, beaming at her, and walked up to Snape's desk at the front of the room.

"Yes?" said Snape curtly.

“Sir, I'm supposed to take Erica Potter upstairs." Snape stared down his hooked nose at Colin, whose smile faded from his eager face.

"Potter has another hour of Potions to complete," said Snape coldly.

“She will come upstairs when this class is finished."

Colin went pink "Sir, Mr. Bagman wants her,” he said nervously.

"All the champions have got to go..."

Erica would have given anything she owned to have stopped Colin saying those last few words.

"Very well…Potter, leave your things here, I want you back down here later to test your antidote."

"Please, sir - she's got to take her things with him," squeaked Cohn. "All the champions..."

"Very well!" said Snape. "Potter - take your bag and get out of my sight!"

Erica swung her bag over her shoulder, got up, and headed for the door.

As she walked through the Slytherin desks, POTTER STINKS flashed at her from every direction.

"It's amazing, isn't it, Erica?

You being champion?" asked Colin excitedly and Erica had the urge to throw up.

"Yeah, really amazing," said Erica sarcastically as they set off toward the steps into the entrance hall.

"What do they want photos for, Colin?"

"The Daily Prophet, I think!"

"Great, exactly what I need.

More publicity."

"Good luck!" said Colin when they had reached the right room.

Erica knocked on the door and entered.

That night Erica was having trouble sleeping, her thoughts were keeping her awake.

She couldn’t believe Rita Skeeter had the nerve to say those things ignoring her when she tried to explain herself.

Erica was worried what the daily Prophet would say tomorrow and how everyone was going to react .

“ If they’d knew that you’re pregnant they would think that you put your name in the goblet in order to get rid of the child …

It’s obvious what you have to do now …

You have to get rid of it before they discover …” said a voice inside her head and Erica shook her head

“ I can’t …

I don’t want to … this can’t be happening … not now …” she thought frantically feeling as if her heartwas being squeezed in a huge fist “ would you rather let them discover it, during the first task?

They would be harsh, they would judge you without listening …

Thats what they did whenthey discovered you were a parselmouth…

And beside It can’t survive anyway, it could end up killed in one of the tasks and then everyone would know and hate you, evermore than now!”

Erica felt a lump in her throat, tears began to form in her eyes but she refused to let themfall.

Then she began to think, her inner voice was right, the thing she had inside was her Uncle’s child!

The aftermath of an incestuous rape!

She never had wanted that child, her uncle had put it inside forcefully!

Erica rose from her bed silently as not to wake any of herschool mates she slowly took herinvisibility cloak putting it on .

She exited the Gryffindor Dormitory and Common room andwalked towards the infirmary.

Once she arrived she called softly “ Madame Pomfrey?”

The Mediwitch arrived and seeing Erica she smiled “ Hey Erica, what are you doing here …

Are you all right?” she asked as she saw the girl’s grim expression

“ Poppy …

I …

I have to get rid of the child inside of me …

I don’t want anyone to know … ” Erica’s tone was flat,her gaze was on the floor and Poppy tensed.

She knew Erica was one of the champions but she had hoped someonecould and wouldremove her from it, but it turned out it wasn’t possible .

As hard as it was Poppy knew the girl didn’t have any other choice “ Ok, Erica …

When do you want to do it?”

Erica’s gaze darkened “ Tomorrow night …

The sooner this … thing is out of me, the sooner I’ll have my life back…”

Poppy flinched when Erica referred at her child as “thing”, that was harsh!

But as she was about to reprimand the girl, she stared into Erica’s empty eyes and suddenly understood.

She nodded again curtly and said “ One last thing … the potion you’ll need has to be brewed by Severus … St. Mungo’s doesn’t have it and neither have I …” Erica panicked momentarily but then she seemed to think about something before replying “ Tell him it has been requested by a doctor in st.Mungo’s and that the woman who has to take it prefers to remain anonimous …

It will be easy that way …” Poppy was impressed with Erica’s thinking, it was a plan worthy of a slytherin. 

Erica sighed and Poppy nodded and bid her goodbye before she put her cloack on and returned to the tower.

Severuswas sitting on his couch with a glass of firewiskey when the floor flared up signaling a call.

He answered and saw Poppy Pomfrey’s face appear in the flames” Hello Madame Pomfrey.

What can I do for you?” he asked confused thinking one of his slytherins had hurt himself and had gone to the infirmary.

“ Professor, I received a request from one of the Doctors in st. Mungos …

A woman who decided to remain anonymous, needs a potion for aborting an unwanted child.

She needs it for tomorrow night … Please can you prepare it and then bring it in my office tomorrow morning?” Severus nodded softly, confused.

He could do it, and it would take only two hours for him “ of course Poppy, I’ll prepare it right nowand I’ll give it to you tomorrow … Bye!” Poppy nodded and ended the call.

Severus sighed softly as he entered his potion’s laband began to prepare the ingredients for the abortion potion.

Little did he know it was meant for student of his, a certain student who had occupied his thoughts from a week earlier, and for whom he was beginning to feel a strong attraction, one Erica Potter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally updated this fic!   
> Erica has taken the hardest decision a mother could make and she is about to go through with it…  
> Severus doesn’t know what he is about to do…  
> In the next chapter, Erica will abort the child, and then she’ll have to go through the first task?  
> Will she manage it?


	4. The first task

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning!  
> Mentions of abortion!  
> Don't like don't read!

_“Can't use your magic now Potter!”_

_Erica struggled, she felt like she was about to vomit but her uncle’s hold on her was unrelenting._

_“Stop it!” she cried, but it was only answered with Vernon pulling her hair._

_Vernon flipped Erica onto her stomach and then used his weight to press on Erica’s back to keep her down._

_Erica couldn't see what Vernon was doing, but she felt her panties were being lowered and had a very bad feeling about what was going to happen._

_She started to thrash against the bed, kicking “Struggle and I will put more weight onto your back.”_

_Erica felt tears fill her eyes as she felt her uncle's hands between her legs._

_It was disgusting feeling Vernon’s fingers rub her pussy, she tensed up._

_Erica felt Vernon's finger push into her, and whimpered making Vernon chuckle._

_He slapped Erica’s buttocks, “Please, uncle Vernon, please don't do this!”_

_Erica screamed,but she knew Petunia and Dudley were sleeping and so they couldn’t hear her cries._

_Vernon pressed histhick cock into Erica’s virgin pussy and then entered her._

_Erica’s toes curled from discomfort, she cried into her pillow as Vernon began to thrust in and out of her roughly._

_Then a voice reached the girl’s ears “ Potter …”_

_Snape was standing at the entrance to her room, a nasty smirk on his lips, his arms crossed over his chest and a badge similar to Draco’s on wich she read “ Potter is a slut”._

_“ Professor … please…” but Snape sneered at her ignoring her as his eyes were watching Vernon’s movements with rapt interest as his tongue passed on his lips hungrily ._

_Vernon gripped Erica’s hips, his fingers painfully digging into the girl's skin, and his nails breaking into it; small trails of blood came from the small nail cuts on her ._

_The man thrusted his hips harder into Erica, and she couldn't take it anymore, she burst in to tears just as Vernon began to fasten his pace._

_Then Vernon came inside Erica, and the last thing she saw was Snape turning his back to her and exiting the room before shepassed out._

Erica jumped up eyes wide, heart beating and tears threatening to fall from her eyes at any minute, she looked around and found herself under the tree she had seated herself on after lunch.

“It was just a nightmare …

Tonight it will all be over, you’ll get rid of the thing inside you and none will ever know it existed aside from you and Poppy …” she thought as her hand distractedly caressed her abdomen.

Once she realized what she was doing she pulled her hand away, like she had burned herself “ I can’t keep it …

It would have never survived …

It’s for the best …” she thought and then she slowly rose to her feet and retuned inside the school for the rest of the lessons.

At dinner she found herself playing with her food,she wasn’t hungry.

Her eyes reached the teacher’s table and stared at Snape who was intent eating while Karkaroff continued staring insistently at him, it was as if the man wanted to attract his attention but unsuccessfully.

Snape then raised his gaze and met her’s, glaring at her.

Erica sighed and lowered her gaze to her still full plate, not noticing Snape’s expression becoming worried.

Hermione and Ginny were staring at her worriedly, while Ron was talking with Dean and Seamus obtrusively ignoring Erica.

“ Girls, I’m going to Gryffindor tower …

I’m tired…

I’ll see you tomorrow!” she said rising from the table as Hermione nodded at her worriedly but Erica didn’t notice it, her mind was set on what she would do in a few hours and she knew she couldn’t let emotions get the best of her or she wouldn’t be able to go through with her plan.

Once in her bed Erica feigned sleep, while Ginny and Hermione were changing for the night and talking about god knew what.

Erica waited for them to fall asleep and once she was sure they were sleeping, she took her clock and exited the tower going to the hospital wing.

She entered and saw Poppy already waiting for her near the further bed in the hospital wing, with a potion in her hand .

Erica slowly reached the woman who grimly stared at her “ Are you sure about this Erica?”

Erica nodded lying down in the bed as Poppy uncorked the bottle “ This is a dreamless sleep Potion, so you’ll sleep through the whole ordeal …

Believe me, that potion could hurt a lot if you were to take it staying awake, and your screams could attract someone…”

She explained as Erica nodded as she took the dreamless sleep and as soon as she felt the tendrils of unconsciousness envelop her another bitter liquid ran down her throat burning slightly, but before she could dwell upon the feeling it gave her she fell in a deep sleep.

It was five in the morning when finally Poppy woke Erica.

As soon as Erica opened her eyes she felt… empty, completely devoid of any emotion, as if she had been kissed by a dementor.

Poppy said“ Erica, it worked… your child is …” but Erica cut her off softly

“ Don’t say anything …

I’m fine, we’ll have to find a place where to bury the child …

I’m going now…

The first task is in a few days and I have to be prepared…

I’ll let you know when we can bury the baby …” Erica’s tone was flat, her eyes were completely empty and that was a good thing.

She couldn’t afford to get emotional, not for a child that wasn’t meant to be.

Sheslowly put on her cloak and went to Gryffindor Tower leaving the infirmary.

Once she entered the girl’s room shesaw Hermione and Ginny were still sleeping and she sighed softly in relief before she laid in her bed, and drew the curtainsaround her.

No one would know now, she had done the right thing. If she had kept the child it would have died anyway, with the difference that anyone in Hogwarts would have known and they would have hated her even more .

“ Now all I have to do is warn Cedric of the fact that the first task will be facing Dragons…” she muttered softly before she fell asleep.

Erica felt oddly calm as she woke the morning of the first task, people passed by wishing her good luck or hissing "We'll have a box of tissues ready, Potter" but she was calm, focused.

Professor McGonagall was hurrying over to her in the Great Hall.

Lots of people were watching.

"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now....

You have to get ready for your first task."

"Okay," said Erica flatly standing up, her fork falling onto his plate with a clatter.

"Good luck, Rika,” Hermione whispered. "You'll be fine!"

"Yeah," said Erica in the same flat and empty tone she used with Mc Gonagall.

She heft the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall who lookedanxious, unlike Erica .

As they walked down the stone steps and out into the cold November afternoon, Mc Gonagall put her hand on Erica’s shoulder.

"Now, don't panic,just keep a cool head....

The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you....

Are you all right?"

"Yes," Erica heard herself say.

"Yes, I'm fine."

Mc Gonagall was leading her toward the place where the dragons were, around the edge of the forest, but when they approached the clump of trees behind which the enclosure would be clearly visible, Erica saw that a tent had been erected, its entrance facing them, screening the dragons from view.

"You're to go in here with the other champions," said Professor McGonagall, in a rather shaky sort of voice, "and wait for your turn, Potter.

Mr. Bagman is in there...he'll be telling youthe procedure....

Good luck."

"Thanks," said Erica, in a flat, distant voice.

Mc Gonagall left her at the entrance of the tent and Erica went inside.

Fleur Delacour was sitting in a corner on a how wooden stool.

She didn't look nearly as composed as usual, but rather pale and clammy to Erica’s great satisfaction ‘Serves her right after calling you a child…

Not so sure of yourself now are you, De la Cour?’ thought Erica nastily.

Viktor Krum looked even surlier than usual, which Harry supposed was his way of showing nerves.

Cedric was pacing up and down but when she entered he gave her a small smile, which Erica returned, feeling the muscles in her face working rather hard, as though they had forgotten how to do it.

“Erica! Good-o!" said Bagman happily, looking around"Come in, come in, make yourself at home!"

Bagman looked somehow like a slightly overblown cartoon figure, standing amid all the pale-faced champions.

"Well, now we're all here - time to fill you in!" said Bagman brightly and Erica resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag"he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them "from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are differentvarieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too...ah, yes...your task is to collect the golden egg!"

Erica glanced around.

Cedricnodded once, to show that he understood Bagman's words, and then started pacing around the tent again; he looked slightly green.

Fleur Delacour and Krum hadn't reacted at all.

Perhaps they thought they might be sick if they opened their mouths.

And in no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing, joking….

Erica felt as separate from the crowd as though they were a different species.

And thenBagman was opening the neck of the purple silk sack.

“Miss De la Cour” he said, offering it to Fleur Delacour.

She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon a Welsh Green.

It had the number two around its neck and Erica knew, by the fact that Fleur showed no sign of surprise, but rather a determined resignation, that she had been right: Madame Maxime had told her what was coming.

The same went with Krum.

He pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball.

It had a number three around its neck.

He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground.

Cedric put his hand into the bag, and out came the blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout, the number one tied around its neck. Knowing what was left, Erica put her hand into the silk bag and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail, and the number four.

It stretched its wings as she looked down at it, and bared its minuscule fangs.

"Well, there you are!" said Bagman.

"You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see?

Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating.

Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now…Erica, could I have a quick word? Outside?"

“Yes," said Erica blankly, as she got up and went out of the tent with Bagman, who walked her a short distance away, into the trees, and then turned to her with a fatherly expression on his face.

"Feeling all right, Erica?

Anything I can get you?"

“I’m fine …” said Erica flatly.

"Got a plan?" said Bagman, lowering his voice conspiratorially.

"Because I don't mind sharing a few pointers, if you'd like them, you know.

I mean," Bagman continued, lowering his voice still further, "you're the underdog here, Erica….

Anything I can do to help..."

"No," said Erica so quickly she knew he had sounded rude, "no, I know what I'm going to do, thanks."

"Nobody would know, Erica,” said Bagman, winking at her.

"No, I'm fine," said Erica "I've got a plan worked out…”

A whistle had blown somewhere.

"Good lord, I've got to run!" said Bagman in alarm, and he hurried off.

Erica walked back to the tent and saw Cedric emerging from it, greener than ever.

Erica wished him luck as he walked past, but all that came out of Cedric’s mouth was a sort of hoarse grunt.

She went back inside to Fleur and Krum.

Seconds hater, they heard the roar of the crowd, which meant Cedric had entered the enclosure and was now face-to-face with the living counterpart of his model....

The crowd screamed, yelled, gasped like a single many-headed entity, as Cedric did whatever he was doing to get past the Swedish Short-Snout.

Krum was still staring at the ground.

Fleur had now taken to retracing Cedric's steps, around and around the tent.

And Bagman's commentary made everything much, much worse "Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow…. He's taking risks, this one!…Clever move pity it didn't work!"

And then, after about fifteen minutes, Erica heard the deafening roar that could mean only one thing: Cedric had gotten past his dragon and captured the golden egg.

"Very good indeed!" Bagman was shouting. "And now the marks from the judges!"

But he didn't shout out the marks; Erica supposed the judges were holding them up and showing them to the crowd.

"One down, three to go!" Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. "Miss Delacour, if you please!"

Fleur was trembling from head to foot; Erica suddenly felt more warmly toward her than she had done so far as the girl left the tent with her head held high and her hand clutching her wand.

Erica and Krum were left alone, at opposite sides of the tent, avoiding each other's gaze.

The same process started again."Oh I'm not sure that was wise!" they could hear Bagman shouting gleefully. "Oh...nearly! Careful now...good lord, I thought she'd had it then!"

Ten minutes later, Erica heard the crowd erupt into applause once more, Fleur must have been successful too.

A pause, while Fleur's marks were being shown, more clapping...then, for the third time, the whistle.

"And here comes Mr. Krum!" cried Bagman, and Krum slouched out, leaving Erica alone.

"Very daring!" Bagman was yelling, and Erica heard the Chinese Fireball emit a horrible, roaring shriek, while the crowd drew its collective breath.

"That's some nerve he's showing - and - yes, he's got the egg!"

Applause shattered the wintery air like breaking glass; Krum had finished - it would be Erica’s turn any moment.

She stood up, noticing dimly that her legs seemed to be made of marshmallow. She waited, and then she heard the whistle blow.

Erica walked out through the entrance of the tent, she was calm and numb.

She was walking past the trees, through a gap in the enclosure fence.

Erica saw everything in front of her as though it was a very highly colored dream.

There were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at her from stands that had been magicked there since she'd last stood on this spot.

And there was the Horntail, at the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her clutch of eggs, her wings half-furled, her evil, yellow eyes upon her, a monstrous, scaly, black lizard, thrashing her spiked tail, heaving yard-long gouge marks in the hard ground. The crowd was making a great deal of noise, but whether friendly or not, Erica didn't know or care.

It was time to do what she had to do, focus her mind, entirely and absolutely, upon the thing that was her only chance.

She raised her wand.

"Accio Firebolt!" she shouted.

Erica waited, every fiber of her hoping, praying....

And then she heard it, speeding through the air behind her; she turned and saw her Firebolt hurtling toward her around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and stopping dead in midair beside her, waiting for her to mount.

The crowd was making even more noise....

Bagman was shouting something but Erica’s ears were not working properly anymore, listening wasn't important....

She swung her leg over the broom and kicked off from the ground.

And a second later, something miraculous happened....

As she soared upward, as the wind rushed through her hair, as the crowd's faces became mere flesh-colored pinpnicks below, and the Horntail shrank to the size of a dog, she realized that she had leftthe ground behind she was back where she belonged....

This was just another Quidditch match, that was all...just another Quidditch match, and that Horntail was just another ugly opposing team....

She looked down at the clutch of eggs and spotted the gold one, gleaming against its cement-colored fellows, residing safely between the dragon's front legs. "Okay," Erica told herself, "diversionary tactics...let's go..."

She dived, the Horntail's head followed her; she knew what it was going to do and pulled out of the dive just in time; a jet of fire had been released exactly where Erica would have been had she not swerved away...

"Great Scott, she can fly!" yelled Bagman as the crowd shrieked and gasped. "Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?"

Erica soared higher in a circle; the Horntail was still following her progress; its head revolving on its long neck .

Erica plummeted just as the Horntail opened its mouth, but this time she was less lucky, she missed the flames, but the tail came whipping up to meet her instead, and as she swerved to the left, one of the long spikes grazed her shoulder, ripping her robes -

Erica could feel the stinging, she could hear screaming and groans from the crowd, but the cut didn't seem to be deep.

She zoomed around the back of the Horntail, and a possibility occurred to her….

The Horntail didn't seem to want to take off, she was too protective of her eggs.

Though she writhed and twisted, furling and unfurling her wings and keeping those fearsome yellow eyes on Erica, she was afraid to move too far from them…

Erica had to persuade her to do it, or she'd never get near them....

The trick was to do it carefully, gradually....

Erica began to fly, first this way, then the other, not near enough to make the Horntail breathe fire to stave her off, but still posing a sufficient threat to ensure she kept her eyes on her.

Erica flew higher.

The Horntail's head rose with her, her neck now stretched to its fullest extent, still swaying, hike a snake before its charmer....

Erica rose a few more feet, and the dragon let out a roar of exasperation.

"Come on," Erica hissed "come on, come and get me...up you get now..."

And then the dragon reared, spreading her great, black, leathery wings at last, as wide as those of a small airplane, and Erica dived. Before the dragon knew what she had done, or where she had disappeared to, Erica was speeding toward the ground as fast as she could go, toward the eggs now unprotected by her clawed front legs

She had taken her hands off the Firebolt and she had seized the golden egg.

And with a huge spurt of speed, Erica was off, she was soaring out over the stands, the heavy egg safely under her uninjured arm, and it was as though somebody had just turned the volume back up - for the first time, Erica became properly aware of the noise of the crowd, which was screaming and applauding as loudly as the Irish supporters at the World Cup .

"Look at that!" Bagman was yelling. "Will you look at that!

Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg!

Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Miss. Potter!"

Erica saw the dragon keepers rushing forward to subdue the Horntail, and, over at the entrance to the enclosure, Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody, and Hagrid hurrying to meet her, all of them waving her toward them, their smiles evident even from this distance . Then a pair of black eyes caught her attention and she found herself staring at Snape, who had a relieved expression on his face and was … smiling? Severus Snape seemed happy she had passed the first task, but it may be another way to try and distract her. Erica shook her head and turned her attention to Mc Gonagall

"That was excellent, Potter!" cried the transfiguration professor as she got off the Firebolt.

Erica noticed that Minerva’s hand shook as she pointed at her shoulder "You'll need to see Madam Pomfrey before the judges give out your score....

Over there, she's had to mop up Diggory already...."

"Yeh did it, Erica!” said Hagrid hoarsely.

"Yeh did it! An' agains' the Horntail an' all, an' yeh know Charlie said that was the wors' -"

"Thanks, Hagrid," said Erica loudly, so that Hagrid wouldn't blunder on and reveal that he had shown her the dragons beforehand.

Professor Moody looked very pleased too; his magical eye was dancing in its socket.

"Right then, Potter, the first aid tent, please..." said Professor McGonagall.

Erica walked out of the enclosure,and saw Madam Pomfrey standing at the mouth of a second tent, looking worried.

"Dragons!" Poppy said, in a disgusted tone, pulling Erica inside.

The tent was divided into cubicles; she could make out Cedric's shadow through the canvas, but Cedric didn't seem to be badly injured; he was sitting up, at least.

Madam Pomfrey examined Erica’s shoulder, talking furiously all the while.

"Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next?

You're very lucky...this is quite shallow...it'll need cleaning before I heal it up, though....

Are you all right Erica?” Erica nodded and then Poppy lowered her voice to a mere whisper and said in her ear “ You did the right thing a week ago, they might have discovered …”

Erica cut her off feeling again the emptyness incade her heart “ I’m fine madame Pomfrey …

It’s just a cut!”

Poppy nodded briefly and cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid that smoked and stung, but then poked her shoulder with her wand, and Erica felt it heal instantly.

"Now, just sit quietly for a minute!

And then you can go and get your score."

Poppy bustled out of the tent and she heard her go next door and say, "How does it feel now, Diggory?"

Erica got to her feet, wanting to see what was going on outside, but before she'd reached the mouth of the tent, two people had come darting inside - Hermione, followed closely by Ron.

“Erica, you were brilliant!" Hermione said squeakily.

There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear.

"You were amazing!

You really were!"

But Erica was looking at Ron, who was very white and staring at her as though she were a ghost.

“Erica,” he said, very seriously, "whoever put your name in that goblet, I reckon they're trying to do you in!"

It was as though the last few weeks had never happened - as though Erica were meeting Ron for the first time, right after she'd been made champion.

"Caught on, have you?" said the girl coldly. "Took you long enough."

Hermione stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other.

Ron opened his mouth uncertainly.

Erica knew Ron was about to apologize and suddenly she found she didn't need to hear it.

"It's okay," she said flatly, before Ron could get the words out. "Forget it."

"No," said Ron, "I shouldn't've -"

"Forget it, “Erica said more calmly.

Ron grinned nervously at her, but Erica didn’t grin back.

Hermione burst into tears and Erica rolled her eyes.

"You two are so stupid!" Hermione shouted, stamping her foot on the ground, tears splashing down her front.

Then, before either Erica or Ron could stop her, she had given both of them a hug and dashed away, now positively howling.

"Barking mad," said Ron, shaking his head. “Erica, c'mon, they'll be putting up your scores...."

Picking up the golden egg and her Firebolt,Erica ducked out of the tent, Ron by her side, talking fast.

"You were the best, you know, no competition.

Cedric did this weird thing where he Transfigured a rock on the ground…

Turned it into a dog, he was trying to make the dragon go for the dog instead of him.

Well, it was a pretty cool bit of Transfiguration, and it sort of worked, because he did get the egg, but he got burned as well - the dragon changed its mind halfway through and decided it would rather have him than the Labrador; he only just got away.

And that Fleur girl tried this sort of charm, I think she was trying to put it into a trance - well, that kind of worked too, it went all sleepy, but then it snored, and this great jet of flame shot out, and her skirt caught fire - she put it out with a bit of water out of her wand.

And Krum - you won't believe this, but he didn't even think of flying!

He was probably the best after you, though.

Hit it with some sort of spell right in the eye.

Only thing is, it went trampling around in agony and squashed half the real eggs - they took marks off for that, he wasn't supposed to do any damage to them."

Ron drew breath as he and Erica reached the edge of the enclosure. 

Erica could see where the five judges were sitting - right at the other end, in raised seats draped in gold.

"It's marks out of ten from each one," Ron said, and Ericasaw the first judge Madame Maxime raise her wand in the air.

What hooked like a long silver ribbon shot out of it, which twisted itself into a large figure eight.

"Not bad!" said Ron as the crowd applauded. "I suppose she took marks off for your shoulder..."

Mr. Crouch came next.

He shot a number nine into the air.

"Looking good!" Ron yelled, thumping Erica on the back.

Next, Dumbledore.

He too put up a nine and Erica rolled her eyes.

The crowd was cheering harder than ever.

Ludo Bagman - ten.

"Ten?" said Erica in disbelief.

"But...I got hurt....What's he playing at?"

“Erica, don't complain!" Ron yelled excitedly.

And now Karkaroff raised his wand.

He paused for a moment, and then a number shot out of his wand too - four.

"What?" Ron bellowed furiously.

"Four? You lousy, biased scum-bag, you gave Krum ten!"

But Erica didn't care, she wouldn't have cared if Karkaroff had given her zero.

"You're tied in first place, Erica!

You and Krum!" said Charlie Weasley, hurrying to meet them as they set off back toward the school.

"Listen, I've got to run, I've got to go and send Mum an owl, I swore I'd tell her what happened - but that was unbelievable!

Oh yeah - and they told me to tell you you've got to hang around for a few more minutes....

Bagman wants a word, back in the champions' tent."

Ron said he would wait, so Erica reentered the tent, which somehow looked quite different now: friendly and welcoming.

Fleur, Cedric, and Krum all came in together.

One side of Cedric's face was covered in a thick orange paste, which was presumably mending his burn.

He grinned at Erica when he saw her.

"Good one, Erica.”

"And you," said Erica, grinning back.

"Well done, all of you!" said Ludo Bagman, bouncing into the tent and looking as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon.

"Now, just a quick few words.

You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth - but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime!

If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open...see the hinges there?

You need to solve the clue inside the egg - because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it!

All clear?

Sure?

Well, off you go, then!"

Erica left the tent, rejoined Ron, and they started to walk back around the edge of the forest,Ron talking hard and Erica distractedly listening to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erica finally did what she had to and still hasn’t began coping with it …  
> She finally passed the first task … but will she manage to find the clue for the second one?  
> Also she and Snape will finally talk … and Draco will apologize to her …  
> Better late than ever…


	5. Yule ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally the yule ball ...  
> Many things are about to happen ...  
> And there will be some drama between a certain redhead and a know it all !  
> Will Erica finally be able to talk with a certain Potion teacher?

Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville were looking very self-conscious, but none as much as Ron, who surveyed himself in the long mirror in the corner with an appalled look on his face.

There was just no getting around the fact that his robes looked more like a dress than anything else.

In a desperate attempt to make them look more manly, he used a Severing Charm on the ruff and cuffs.

It worked fairly well; at least he was now lace-free, although he hadn't done a very neat job, and the edges still looked depressingly frayed as the boys set off downstairs.

"I still can't work out how you two got the best-looking girls in the year," muttered Dean.

"Animal magnetism," said Ron gloomily, pulling stray threads out of his cuffs.

The common room looked strange, full of people wearing different colors instead of the usual mass of black.

Parvati was waiting forSeamus at the foot of the stairs.

She looked very pretty indeed, in robes of shocking pink, with her long dark plait braided with gold, and gold bracelets glimmering at her wrists.

"You - er - look nice," Seamus said awkwardly to Parvati.

"Thanks," she said.

"Padma's going to meet you in the entrance hall," she added to Ron.

"Right," said Ron, looking around.

"Where's Hermione and Erica?”

Parvati shrugged.

"Shall we go down then, Seamus?”

"Okay," said Seamus, and Fred winked at him as he passed him on the way out of the portrait hole.

The entrance hall was packed with students too, all milling around waiting for eight o'clock, when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open.

Those people who were meeting partners from different Houses were edging through the crowd trying to find one another.

Parvati found her sister, Padma, and led her over to Seamus and Ron.

"Hi," said Padma, who was looking just as pretty as Parvati in robes of bright turquoise.

She didn't look too enthusiastic about having Ron as a partner, though; her dark eyes lingered on the frayed neck and sleeves of his dress robes as she looked him up and down.

"Hi," said Ron, not looking at her, but staring around at the crowd. "Oh no..."

He bent his knees slightly to hide behind Seamus, because Fleur Delacour was passing, looking stunning in robes of silver-gray satin, and accompanied by the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, Roger Davies.

Then Ron saw Erica with a beautiful green dress that went to her feet and had a high collar and transparent cuffs.

Erica smiled at him and reached Neville who smiled at her shyly before giving her his arm to take.

When they had disappeared, Ron stood straight again and stared over the heads of the crowd.

A group of Slytherins came up the steps from their dungeon common room.

Malfoy was in front; he was wearing dress robes of black velvet with a high collar, which in Ron’s opinion made him look like a vicar.

Pansy Parkinson in very frilly robes of pale pink was clutching Malfoy's arm.

Crabbe and Goyle were both wearing green; they resembled moss-colored boulders, and neither of them, had managed to find a partner.

The oak front doors opened, and everyone turned to look as the Durmstrang students entered with Professor Karkaroff.

Krum was at the front of the party, accompanied by a pretty girl in blue robes .

Then Professor McGonagall's voice called, "Champions over here, please!"

Neville smiled while Erica said "See you in a minute" to Ron and Padma and walked forward, the chattering crowd parting to let them through.

Professor McGonagall, who was wearing dress robes of red tartan and had arranged a rather ugly wreath of thistles around the brim other hat, told them to wait on one side of the doors while everyone else went inside; they were to enter the Great Hall in procession when the rest of the students had sat down.

Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies stationed themselves nearest the doors.

Cedric and Cho were close to Erica and Neville

Ron’s eyes fell on the girl next to Krum and he did a double take as his jaw dropped.

It was Hermione.

But she didn't look like Hermione at all.

She had done something with her hair; it was no longer bushy but sleek and shiny, and twisted up into an elegant knot at the back of her head.

She was wearing robes made of a floaty, periwinkle-blue material, and she was holding herself differently, somehow - or maybe it was merely the absence of the twenty or so books she usually had slung over her back.

She was also smiling - rather nervously, it was true - but the reduction in the size of her front teeth was more noticeable than ever.

Padma was gazing at Hermione in unflattering disbelief.

She wasn't the only one either

Pansy Parkinson gaped at Hermione as she walked by with Malfoy, and even Draco didn't seem to be able to find an insult to throw at her.

Ron, however, walked right past Hermione without looking at her.

Once everyone else was settled in the Hall, Professor McGonagall told the champions and their partners to get in line in pairs and to follow her.

They did so, and everyone in the Great Hall applauded as they entered and started walking up toward a large round table at the top of the Hall, where the judges were sitting.

The walls of the Hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling.

The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.

Erica concentrated on not tripping over her feet.

Neville seemed to be enjoying himself; he was beaming around at everybody.

She caught sight of Ron and Padma as she neared the top table.

Ron was watching Hermione pass with narrowed eyes while Padma was looking sulky.

Dumbledore smiled happily as the champions approached the top table, but Karkaroff wore an expression remarkably like Ron's as he watched Krum and Hermione draw nearer.

Ludo Bagman,was clapping as enthusiastically as any of the students; and Madame Maxime, who had changed her usual uniform of black satin for a flowing gown of lavender silk, was applauding them politely.

The fifth seat at the table was occupied by Percy Weasley.

When the champions and their partners reached the table, Percy drew out the empty chair beside him, staring pointedly at Erica.

She took the hint and sat down next to Percy, who was wearing brand-new, navy-blue dress robes and an expression of such smugness that Erica thought it ought to be fined.

"I've been promoted," Percy said before the girl could even ask, and from his tone, he might have been announcing his election as supreme ruler of the universe.

"I'm now Mr. Crouch's personal assistant, and I'm here representing him."

"Why didn't he come?" Erica askedcuriously.

"I'm afraid to say Mr. Crouch isn't well, not well at all.

Hasn't been right since the World Cup.

The World Cup was a fiasco for the whole Ministry, and then, Mr. Crouch suffered a huge personal shock with the misbehavior of that house-elf of his, Blinky, or whatever she was called.

Naturally, he dismissed her immediately afterward, but - well, as I say, he's getting on, he needs looking after, and I think he's found a definite drop in his home comforts since she left.

And then we had the tournament to arrange, and the aftermath of the Cup to deal with… 

So that poor man, he's having a well earned, quiet Christmas.

I'm just glad he knew he had someone he could rely upon to take his place."

There was no food as yet on the glittering golden plates, but small menus were lying in front of each of them.

Erica picked her up and looked around - there were no waiters.

Dumbledore, however, looked carefully down at his own menu, then said very clearly to his plate, "Pork chops!"

And pork chops appeared.

Getting the idea, the rest of the table placed their orders with their plates too.

Erica glanced up at Hermione to see how she felt about this new and more complicated method of dining but for once, Hermione didn't seem to be thinking about S.P.E.W. She was deep in talk with Viktor Krum and hardly seemed to notice what she was eating.

It now occurred to Erica that she had never actually heard Krum speak before, but he was certainly talking now, and very enthusiastically at that.

"Veil, ve have a castle also, not as big as this, nor as comfortable, I am thinking," he was telling Hermione. "Ve have just four floors, and the fires are lit only for magical purposes. But ve have grounds larger even than these - though in vinter, ve have very little daylight, so ve are not enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and the mountains -"

"Now, now, Viktor!" said Karkaroff with a laugh that didn't reach his cold eyes, "don't go giving away anything else, now, or your charming friend will know exactly where to find us!"

Meanwhile Fleur Delacour was criticizing the Hogwarts decorations to Roger Davies.

"Zis is nothing…

At ze Palace of Beauxbatons, we 'ave ice sculptures all around ze dining chamber at Chreestmas.

Zey do not melt, of course...zey are like 'uge statues of diamond, glittering around ze place.

And ze food is seemply superb.

And we 'ave choirs of wood nymphs, 'oo serenade us as we eat.

We 'ave none of zis ugly armor in ze 'alls, and eef a poltergeist ever entaired into Beauxbatons, 'e would be expelled like zat." she slapped her hand onto the table impatiently.

Erica rolled her eyes as the sympathy she had felt for the half Veela melted away like ice.

Fleur was back to her usual full of herself attitude and Erica was reminded of her Aunt Petunia who would gossip to her neighbors about how she was better than everyone else.

Roger Davies instead was watching Fleur talk with a very dazed look on his face, and he kept missing his mouth with his fork.

"Absolutely right," he said quickly, slapping his own hand down on the table in imitation of Fleur. "Like that. Yeah."

Erica looked around the Hall.

Hagrid was sitting at one of the other staff tables; he was back in his horrible hairy brown suit and gazing up at the top table.

She saw him give a small wave, and looking around, saw Madame Maxime return it, her opals glittering in the candlelight.

Hermione was now teaching Krum to say her name properly; he kept calling her "Hermy-own."

"Her-my-oh-nee," she said slowly and clearly.

"Herm-own-ninny."

"Close enough," she said, catching Erica’s eye and grinning.

When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same.

Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall.

A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.

The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn. They picked up their instruments, and Erica, who had been so interested in watching them that he had almost forgotten what was coming, suddenly realized that the lanterns on all the other tables had gone out, and that the other champions and their partners were standing up.

“Nev, we have to go” she said to her knight "We're supposed to dance"

Erica nearly tripped over her dress gown as she stood up But Neville caught her with a hand around her waist “ Sorry …” she said embarrassed but Neville just smiled as they got into the dance floor with the other champions.

The Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune. Erica slowly put her left hand on Neville shoulder as he put his hand on her waist and took her right hand with his left, and then they began to dance.

Erica kept her eyes fixed over the heads of the watching people, and very soon many of them too had come onto the dance floor, so that the champions were no longer the center of attention.

Dean and Ginny were dancing nearby, she could see Ginny wincing frequently as Dean trod on her feetand Dumbledore was waltzing with Madame Maxime.

He was so dwarfed by her that the top of his pointed hat barely tickled her chin; however, she moved very gracefully for a woman so large.

Mad-Eye Moody was doing an extremely ungainly two-step with Professor Sinistra, who was nervously avoiding his wooden leg.

"Nice dress. Potter," Moody growled as he passed, his magical eye staring at Erica’s dress.

"Oh - yeah, it was a present … from an admirer,” said Erica, grinning.

Erica heard the final, quavering note from the bagpipe and The Weird Sisters stopped playing, applause filled the hall once more, and she let go of Neville who bowed smiling.

"Let's sit down, shall we?" she said and Neville nodded gratefully and they took a seat next to Padma and Ron as the Weird Sisters struck up a new song, which was much faster.

"How's it going?" Erica asked Ron, sitting down as the redhead was opening a bottle of butterbeer.

Ron didn't answer and Erica suddenly understood why.

He was glaring at Hermione and Krum, who were dancing nearby.

Padma was sitting with her arms and legs crossed, one foot jiggling in time to the music.

Every now and then she threw a disgruntled look at Ron, who was completely ignoring her.

Neville sat down on Erica’s other side “ why is Ron so sulky ?” he asked and before Erica could answer, Hermione came over and sat down in an empty chair next to Ron.

She was a bit pink in the face from dancing.

"Hi," said Neville, while Erica smiled at Hermione.

Ron didn't say anything.

"It's hot, isn't it?" said Hermione, fanning herself with her hand.

"Viktor's just gone to get some drinks."

Ron gave her a withering look. "Viktor?" he said.

"Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?"

Hermione looked at him in surprise. "What's up with you?" she said.

"If you don't know," said Ron scathingly, "I'm not going to tell you."

Hermione stared at him, then at Erica "Ron, what -?"

"He's from Durmstrang!" spat Ron. "He's competing against Erica!

Against Hogwarts!

You - you're -" Ron was obviously casting around for words strong enough to describe Hermione's crime, "fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!"

Hermione's mouth fell open, while Neville cleared his throat embarrassed, but Erica who had seen Ginny who was sitting alone said to him

“ Nev, why don’t you go ask Ginny to dance?” the boy stared at her unsure but she simply smiled

“ Are you sure Erica?” Erica nodded and he smiled gratefully before he rose and went to ask Ginny to dance.

Erica was brought back to her two friends discussion

"The enemy! Honestly - who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive?

Who was the one who wanted his autograph?

Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?" said Hermione glaring at Ron and Erica sighed softly.

"I s'pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?" asked Ron ignoring Hermione’s questions

"Yes, he did," said Hermione, the pink patches on her cheeks glowing more brightly.

"So what?"

"What happened - trying to get him to join SPEW, were you?"

"No, I wasn't!

If you really want to know,he said he'd been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!"

Hermione said this very quickly, and blushed deeply .

"Yeah, well - that's his story," said Ron nastily.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Obvious, isn't it?

He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he?

He knows who you hang around with....He's just trying to get closer to Erica - get inside information on her - or get near enough to jinx her -" Erica huffed and shook her head “ Ron,I don’t think …” but then her gaze metanother one, she hadn’t met all evening; Snape was looking intesely at her and Erica felt a rush of heat reach her cheeks, but she couldn’t look away from those black eyes.

Then Severus Snape tilted his head to the side gesturing outside the castle and Erica saw him rising from the table and exiting the great hall.

She understood what that gesture mean, and as much as she didn’t trust Snape she wanted to talk to him, to understand what was going through his mind.

She was brought back to reality by Hermione’s quivering voice

"This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!"

"No it isn't!" shouted Ron. "It's about winning!"

People were starting to stare at them.

"Ron," said Erica quietly trying to put a stop to her two friends quarrel "I haven't got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum -"

But Ron ignored her "Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are," he said.

"Don't call him Vicky!"

Hermione jumped to her feet and stormed off across the dance floor, disappearing into the crowd.

Erica took that as her cue to rise and reach the doors of the Great Hall and slip out and the fluttering fairy lights in the rose garden winked and twinkled as she went down the front steps, where she found herself surrounded by bushes; winding, ornamental paths; and large stone statues.

Erica could hear splashing water, which sounded like a fountain.She set off along one of the winding paths through the rosebushes,when she heard a familiar voice.

"...don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."

" It's happening again, like before, and soon neither you nor anyone else will be able to deny it. " Karkaroffs voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be overheard. 

" I've told you already Igor, I see no reason to discuss it. " said Snape’s voice

Erica ducked around one of the large columns, hiding herself as Snape and Karkaroff came into view.

Snape had his wand out and his expression was ill-natured as he blasted away a bush.

Squeals issued from the bush, andtwo dark shapes emerged from them. Erica felt her breath caught in her throat, as her heartbeat increased.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as a girl ran past him "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her.

Karkaroff growled “ It's a sign, Severus, you know it is.” catching Erica’s curiosity, what were they talking about?

Severus’swent past the column Erica was hiding behind and stopped “Sorry, I don't know what you're talking about…” he continued searching the bushes.

Erica slowly looked towards him hoping Snape didn’t turn around, or she would have been discovered. 

Igor smirked and made a move to reach Snape left arm saying “Really? Then perhaps you wouldn't mind rolling up your sleeve then, huh?” but Snape quickly pulled his arm out of Karkaroff’s reach.

Karkaroff scoffed staring at the potion master “You don't fool me, Severus. You are scared. Admit it!” but Snape impassively faced him and in his usual silky tone he whispered “I have nothing to be scared of, Igor. Can you say the same?” Karkaroff stomped away and reentered the school while Erica had ducked again behind the column wasmaking sure Snape wasn’t seeing her.

But a silky voice right behind her ear made her stood still “ Haven’t you relatives ever told you Potter … 

That is rude to eavesdrop?” 

Erica slowly turnedand faced Snape “ I wasn’t eavesdropping professor … 

I was uhm … well…” she tried to find a good excuse but Snape stared at her with an arched eyebrow 

“ What are youdoing here miss Potter?” he asked his silky tone making Erica shiver 

“ I wanted to speak … with you…” she said trying to be brave but feeling her insides turn to ice. 

Snape didn’t seem surprised “ What did you wanted to talk about… Miss Potter ?” 

Erica fidgeted nervously “ I wanted to thank you for … the dress…” 

She had figured it was Snape who had send her that dress. 

At the beginning she had thought it was Sirius but then she had recognized the calligraphy of her potion Professor, plus he called her ‘Miss Potter’ in the message he left with the dress.

Snape smirked “ You figured it out, didn’t you Miss Potter …?” he asked as one of his hands caressed Erica’s cheek softly making her heartbeat increase. 

Then he took a step back and Erica stared at him with a soft smile “ Well, ever since the beginning of this year you’ve been surprising me … 

You saved me from Malfoy, you defended me when my name came out of the goblet, you made me sleep in a room in your quarters … 

And then you gave me this dress … Uhm … 

I wanted to know why?” she said lowering her gaze to the snowy floor.

A finger under her chin made her raise her head and stare into Snape’s black eyes “ I did what I had to Miss Potter… 

And you’re not the only one who is surprised … 

You aren’t the girl I thought I saw … 

As for Malfoy … 

I’m sorry for the badges … 

I’ll talk to him and explain him what our suspicions are… 

And Potter … 

If he tries to force himself on you, i’ll make sure he won’t be able todo anything like that again … 

Anything else you wanted to ask me ?” he said knowing too well what Erica wanted to know.

Erica nodded softly “ I … uh … 

What did Karkaroff mean when he was talking to you ? 

Why was he so agitated? 

He mentioned your sleeve …” she caught herself off as she saw Snape’s gaze became dark “ I can’t answer your questions I’m sorry Miss Potter…

Believe me, if I could tell you I would but … 

I can’t… 

Not now anyway, one day maybe…” Erica nodded feeling the atmosphere getting colder and then she turned and moved towards the castle but was stopped once again by Snape’s voice “ Miss Potter … promise me you won’t mention anything you heard tonight to your friends …” Snape’s tone seemed… panicked, and she felt sorry for whatever secret he was having that pained him so much he refused to talk about it.

She turned towards Snape who was looking at her waiting for her answer and said softly “ No one will ever know… And besides you’re not the only one with some secrets to protect …” 

The last phrase had left her lips before she could actually realize what she was saying, her eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth.

Snape stared at her intensely as if he was searching her very soul, then he nodded and said “ Well, Miss Potter I bid you good evening and goodnight…

And if you’ll want to talk about your secrets I ‘ll be here to listen …” 

Erica found a lump forming in her throat as tears prickled her eyes but she refused to let him see…. 

She couldn’t show him weakness, not now. 

Maybe once the tournament was over she could finally reveal everything to him, but until then …

Erica smiled and bid Snape goodnight before she reached the entrance doors opened them and returned to the Great Hall. 

Parvati and Padma were now sitting at a distant table with a whole crowd of Beauxbatons boys, and Hermione was once more dancing with Krum.

Erica sat down at a table far removed from the dance floor and reflected onwhat Snape had said to her, especially his last phrase.

She wanted to take him up to his offer, even just so he realized she wasn’t the spoiled girl he had thought she was …

But if she revealed that she’ll have to tell him of what her uncle did to herthat night offour month’s ago and about the child…

What would Snape think of her then?

Would he use that information against her?

When the Weird Sisters finished playing at midnight, everyone gave them a last, loud round of applause and started to wend their way into the entrance hall.

She saw Hermione saying good night to Krum before he went back to the Durmstrang ship.

Hermione gave Ron a very cold look and swept past him up the marble staircase without speaking.

Erica and Ron followed her, but halfway up the staircase she heard someone calling her.

"Hey-Erica!”

It was Cedric Diggory.

"Yeah?" said Erica confused as Cedric ran up the stairs toward her.

He looked as though he didn't want to say whatever it was in front of Ron, who shrugged, and continued to climb the stairs.

"Listen..." Cedric lowered his voice as Ron disappeared.

"I owe you one for telling me about the dragons.

You know that golden egg?

Does yours wail when you open it?"

"Yeah," said Erica.

"Well...take a bath, okay?"

"What?"

"Take a bath, and - er - take the egg with you, and - er - just mull things over in the hot water.

It'll help you think....Trust me."

Erica stared at him.

"Tell you what," Cedric said, "use the prefects' bathroom.

Fourth door to the left of that statue of Boris the Bewildered on the fifth floor.

Password's 'pine fresh.'

Gotta go...want to say good night -"

He grinned at Erica again and hurried back down the stairs to Cho.

Erica walked back to Gryffindor Tower alone.

The Fat Lady and her friend Vi were snoozing in the picture over the portrait hole.

Erica had to yell "Fairy lights!" before she woke them up, and when he did, they were extremely irritated.

She climbed into the common room and found Ron and Hermione having a blazing row.

Standing ten feet apart, they were bellowing at each other, each scarlet in the face.

"Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" yelled Hermione; her hair was coming down out of its elegant bun now, and her face was screwed up in anger.

"Oh yeah?" Ron yelled back "What's that?"

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"

Ron mouthed soundlessly like a goldfish out of water as Hermione turned on her heel and stormed up the girls' staircase to bed.

Ron turned to look at Erica who shook her head with a sigh.

"Well," he sputtered, looking thunderstruck, "well - that just proves - completely missed the point -"

Erica didn't say anything. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo…  
> Happy new year everyone!  
> Here’s chapter 5!  
> The famous Yule ball…  
> Erica heard something Snape didn’t want her to know …  
> And they finally talked …  
> Is Erica going to trust Snape?  
> Will she tell him at least one of her many secrets?  
> How will she be able to solve the Egg dilemma?  
> Stay tuned …


	6. The Egg's clue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erica finally manages to discover the clue of the golden egg ... but she discovers something else

On Thursday night, Erica sneaked up to bed, put on the cloak, crept downstairs, and exited the portrait hole.

It was awkward moving under the cloak with the heavy egg under one arm and the map in the other.

The moonlit corridors were empty and silent, and Erica was able to ensure that she wouldn't run into anyone she wanted to avoid.

When she reached the statue of Boris the Bewildered, she located the right door, leaned close to it, and muttered the password, "Pine fresh," just as Cedric had told her.

The door creaked open and Erica slipped inside, locked the door behind her, and pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, looking around.

The prefect’s bathroom was softly lit by a splendid candle-filled chandelier, and everything was made of white marble, including what looked like an empty, rectangular swimming pool sunk into the middle of the floor.

About a hundred golden taps stood all around the pools edges, each with a differently colored Jewel set into its handle.

There was also a diving board.

Long white linen curtains hung at the windows; a large pile of fluffy white towels sat in a corner, and there was a single golden-framed painting on the wall.

It featured a blonde mermaid who was fast asleep on a rock, her long hair over her face.

Erica moved forward, looking around, put one of the Huffy towels, the cloak, the map, and the egg at the side of the swimming-pool-sized bath, then knelt down and turned on a few of the taps.

Then, when the deep pool was full of hot water, foam, and bubbles, Erica turned off all the taps, pulled off her nightgown, slippers,and slid naked into the water.

Erica lifted the egg in her wet hands, and opened it.

The wailing, screeching sound filled the bathroom, echoing and reverberating off the marble walls, it sounded just as incomprehensible as ever.

She snapped it shut again, worried that the sound would attract Filch, and then she dropped the egg, which clattered away across the bathroom floor,as someone spoke.

"I'd try putting it in the water, if I were you."

Erica had swallowed a considerable amount of bubbles in shock.

She stood up, sputtering, and saw Moaning Myrtle

"Myrtle!" Erica said in outrage, "I'm - I'm not wearing anything!"

The foam was so dense that this hardly mattered, but she had a nasty feeling that Myrtle had been spying on her from out of one of the taps ever since she had arrived.

“Awww c’mon we’re both girls… I have the same bits you have!” she said, blinking at Erica through her thick spectacles "You haven't been to see me for ages."

"Yeah...well..." said Erica covering her chest with her hands, blushing furiously.

"Well...anyway...I'd try the egg in the water.

That's what Cedric Diggory did." said Mirtle smirking as she got closer to Erica who was getting uncomfortable

“ Can you … uhm please … cover your eyes?” she asked blushing to the ghostwho Huffed before obliging.

Erica made sure Myrtle had her glasses well covered before hoisting herself out of the bath, wrapping the towel firmly around her body, and going to retrieve the egg.

Once she was back in the water, Myrtle peered through her fingers and said, "Go on, then...open it under the water!"

Erica lowered the egg beneath the foamy surface and opened it...and this time, it did not wail.

A gurgling song was coming out of it, a song whose words she couldn’t distinguish through the water.

"You need to put your head under too," said Myrtle, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying bossing her around. "Go on!"

Erica took a great breath and slid under the surface and she heard a chorus of eerie voices singing from the open egg in her hands:

"Come seek us where our voices sound,

We cannot sing above the ground,

And while you re searching, ponder this:

Wove taken what you'll sorely miss,

An hour long you'll have to look,

And to recover what we took,

But past an hour-- the prospect's black,

Too late, it's gone, it wont come back"

Erica let herself float back upward and broke the bubbly surface, shaking her hair out of her eyes.

"Hear it?" said Myrtle.

"Yeah...'Come seek us where our voices sound...'I need to listen again...."

She sank back beneath the water.

It took three more underwater renditions of the egg's song before Erica had it memorized; then she trod water for a while, thinking hard, while Myrtle sat and watched her.

"I've got to go and look for people who can't use their voices above the ground...." she said slowly.

Erica stared around the bathroom, thinking...if the voices could only be heard underwater, then it made sense for them to belong to underwater creatures.

"Underwater..." she said slowly.

"Myrtle...what lives in the lake, apart from the giant squid?"

"Oh all sorts," she said. "I sometimes go down there… if someone flushes my toilet when I'm not expecting it...."

Erica cut her off "Well, does anything in there have a human voice? Hang on -" her eyes had fallen on the picture of the snoozing mermaid on the wall.

"Myrtle, there aren't merpeople in there, are there?"

"Oooh, very good," Mirtle said, her thick glasses twinkling, "it took Diggory much longer than that!”

"The second task's to go and find the merpeople in the lake and...and..." said Erica and she suddenly realized something.

She wasn't a very good swimmer; she'd never had much practice.

Dudley had had lessons in his youth, but Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, no doubt hoping that Erica would drown one day, hadn't bothered to give her any.

"Myrtle, how am I supposed to breathe?" asked Erica slowly

At this, Myrtle's eyes filled with sudden tears again.

"Tactless!" she muttered, groping in her robes for a handkerchief.

"What's tactless?" said Erica, bewildered.

"Talking about breathing in front of me!" Myrtle said shrilly, and her voice echoed loudly around the bathroom.

"When I can't...when I haven't...not for ages..."

Erica remembered how touchy Myrtle had always been about being dead, but none of the other ghosts she knew made such a fuss about it.

"Sorry," she said impatiently "I didn't mean - I just forgot..."

"Oh yes, very easy to forget Myrtle's dead," said Myrtle, gulping, looking at her out of swollen eyes.

"Nobody missed me even when I was alive.

Took them hours and hours to find my body - I know, I was sitting there waiting for them.

Olive Hornby came into the bathroom …And then she saw my body...ooooh, she didn't forget it until her dying day.

I made sure of that...followed her around and reminded her, I did.

I remember at her brother's wedding -"

But Erica wasn't listening; she was thinking about the merpeople's song again.

"We've taken what you II sorely miss." That sounded as though they were going to steal something of hers, something she had to get back.

What were they going to take?

"-and then, of course, she went to the Ministry of Magic to stop me stalking her, so I had to come back here and live in my toilet."

"Good," said Erica vaguely.

"Shut your eyes again, will you?

I'm getting out." she retrieved the egg from the bottom of the bath, climbed out, dried herself, and pulled on hernightgown again.

"Will you come and visit me in the girl’s bathroom again sometime?" Moaning Myrtle asked mournfully as Erica picked up the Invisibility Cloak.

"Er…of course,” Erica said, "See you Myrtle...thanks for your help."

"Bye, 'bye," she said gloomily, and as Erica put on the Invisibllity Cloak .

Out in the dark corridor, Erica examined the Marauders Map to check that the coast was still clear.

Yes, the dots belonging to Filch and his cat, Mrs. Norris, were safely in their office...nothing else seemed to be moving apart from Peeves, though he was bouncing around the trophy room on the floor above….

Erica had taken her first step back toward Gryffindor Tower when something else on the map caught her eye...something distinctly odd.

Peeves was not the only thing that was moving.

A single dot was flitting around a room in the bottom left-hand corner, Snape's office.

But the dot wasn't labeled "Severus Snape"...it was Bartemius Crouch.

Erica stared at the dot.

Mr. Crouch was supposed to be too ill to go to work or to come to the Yule Ball - so what was he doing, sneaking into Hogwarts at one o'clock in the morning?

Erica watched closely as the dot moved around and around the room, pausing here and there....

Erica hesitated, thinking...and then decided to go warn Snape about Crouch.

She crept along the corridor below, pushed aside a tapestry about halfway along, and proceeded down a narrower staircase, a shortcut that would take him down two floors.

Erica kept glancing down at the map, wondering...

It just didn't seem in character, somehow, for correct, law-abiding Mr. Crouch to be sneaking around somebody else's office this late at night....

And then, halfway down the staircase,Erica’s leg suddenly sank right through the trick step Neville always forgot to jump.

She gave a wobble, and the golden egg, still damp from the bath, slipped from under her arm.

Erica lurched forward to try and catch it, but too late; the egg fell down the long staircase with a bang as loud as a bass drum on every step whilethe Invisibility Cloak slippedfrom her.

The golden egg fell through the tapestry at the bottom of the staircase, burst open, and began wailing loudly in the corridor below.

Pulling the cloak back over herself Erica straightened up, listening hard …and, almost immediately she heard

"PEEVES!"

Erica could hear Filch’s rapid, shuffling footsteps coming nearer and nearer, his wheezy voice raised in fury.

"What's this racket?

Wake up the whole castle, will you?

I'll have you, Peeves, I'll have you, you'll...and what is this?"

Filch's footsteps halted; there was a clink of metal on metal and the wailing stopped - Filch had picked up the egg and closed it.

Erica stood very still, one leg still Jammed tightly in the magical step, listening.

Any moment now, Filch was going to pull aside the tapestry, expecting to see Peeves.

"Egg?" Filch said quietly at the foot of the stairs. "My sweet!

This is a Triwizard clue!

This belongs to a school champion!"

Erica felt sick; her heart was hammering very fast "PEEVES!" Filch roared gleefully "You've been stealing!"

He ripped back the tapestry below, and Erica saw his horrible, pouchy face and bulging, pale eyes staring up the dark anddeserted staircase.

"Hiding, are you?" he said softly "I'm coming to get you, Peeves....

You've gone and stolen a Triwizard clue, Peeves....

Dumbledore'll have you out of here for this, you filthy, pilfering poltergeist...."

Filch started to climb the stairs, his scrawny, dust-colored cat at his heels.

Mrs. Morris's lamp-like eyes, so very like her masters, were fixed directly upon Erica.

Sick with apprehension, she watched Filch drawing nearer and nearer in his old flannel dressing gown

"Filch? Whats going on?"

Filch stopped a few steps below Erica and turned.

At the foot of the stairs stood Snape wearing a long gray nightshirt and he looked livid.

"Its Peeves, Professor," Filch whispered malevolently "He threw this egg down the stairs."

Snape climbed up the stairs quickly and stopped beside Filch.

"Peeves?" said Snape softly, staring at the egg in Filch's hands.

"But Peeves couldn't get into my office...."

"This egg was in your office. Professor?"

"Of course not," Snape snapped. "I heard banging and wailing -"

"Yes, Professor, that was the egg -"

"I was coming to investigate and when I passed my office, I saw that the torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar!

Somebody has been searching it!"

“But Peeves couldn't -"

"I know he couldn't, Filch!" Snape snapped again.

"I seal my office with a spell none but a wizard could break!"

Snape looked up the stairs, straight through Erica, and then down into the corridor below.

"I want you to go to my office and search for the intruder, Filch."

"I - yes, Professor - but -"

Filch looked yearningly up the stairs, right through Erica, who could see that he was very reluctant to forgo the chance of cornering Peeves.

Go, she pleaded with him silently, go to Snape’s office…

Mrs. Norris was peering around Filch's legs and Erica had the distinct impression that the cat could smell her….

Why had she filled that bath with so much perfumed foam?

"The thing is, Professor," said Filch plaintively " Peeves has been stealing from a student, it might be my chance to get him thrown out of the castle once and for all -"

"Filch, I don't give a damn about that wretched poltergeist; go to my office…

I’ll have a word with Peeves !!

And give me the egg…

I’ll make sure it is given back to his owner …” in saying this his eyes met Erica’s and she knew right then and there that Snape knew it was her.

Filch nodded giving Snape the egg before disappearing down the stairs with Mrs Norris on his trail.

Then Snape turned again towards Erica and said in a stern tone “ I know you are there Miss Potter…

I can smell you from a mile …” Erica uncovered herself and blushed as her eyes meet Snape dark ones.

“ uhm… hello Proffessor” she stuttered as the man approached her before extending the golden egg towards her

“ Potter … what are you doing here at this hour ?” he asked her suspiciously and curiously.

Erica sighed and said “ Iwent to the prefects bathroom because Cedric told meI would be able to solve the egg’s clue …

I might know what is the second task, but I’ll need to find a way to breathe under water …

Also I might know who was in your office professor…”

At this Snape studied her curiously “ and how pray tell do you know who was there?” he asked silkily and Erica felt her legs almost become jello as his black eyes bore into hers.

She slowly pulled out the Marauders map, that hadn’t been blanked and gave it to him

“ What’s this Potter?” he asked her and she looked down at her feet suddenly feeling uncomfortable “ Do you remember the blank piece of parchment from last year?

Well … You were right in saying it was a map…

It’s the marauders map and it shows all the people that are here in Hogwarts.

When i was coming out of the prefects bathroom I saw someoneon the map in your office… It was Barty Crouch …”

Snape who had been listening attentively to Erica, but when she mentioned Barty Crouch his eyes darkened and he muttered “ Impossible …”

Erica nodded and pointed to a dot on the map that was walking on the third floor and was labeled ‘ Barthemious Crouch”.

Severus slowly closed the map and took Erica’s arm before he took off towards the dungeons “ Professor where are we going?”

Erica asked panicked but Snape didn’t answer but tightened his grip on her arm.

Only when they entered the safety of Snape’s rooms he let go of her arm and turned towards her, Erica’s eyes widened at the serious expression on her professor’s face

“ Potter … 

Does your map show people who are dead?” he asked her criptically and Erica stared at him confused “ No … it shows people who are in their animagus form…

That’s how I found out about Pettigrew … ”

She was confused and Snape nodded softly “ Could it be possible this map shows people who are polyjuiced by someone else?” he asked again and Erica thought about it, yes it made sense.

But why would someone polijuice themselves as Mr Crouch?

Then it hit her.

If the map showed the true name of the person even if they were in their animal form, maybe it worked the same way for people who were under someone else resemblance.

She slowly nodded “ It might be …

But what is Mr Crouch doing here, last I heard from Percy he was sick…” she muttered even more confused now

“ It’s not Barty Crouch senior the one the map is showing … 

He was found dead this morning in his home …

I do believe that the Crouch the map is showing us is his son …

Bartemious Crouch Jr, one of you know who’s most loyal Death Eaters …

He was in Azkaban after torturing the Longbottoms into madness … ”he muttered softly and Erica’s eyes widened as she thought about something

“ Wait … Professor Moodyhad a lesson in which he taught us the unforgivables … and he seemed to enjoy himself torturing the spider with the Cruciatus curse … under Neville’s gaze …”

Snape stared at her his eyes wide “ He taught you the Unforgivables??” he asked her and she slowly nodded.

Then silence fell heavy between them and lasted for some minutes until Erica finally broke it “ Do you think that Mr Crouch Senior’s death was an accident?”

Severus shook his head grimly and Erica sighed “ What are we going to do now?” she asked the Potion teacher who replied 

“ For now we can’t do anything …

We’ll just have to wait for him to make the next move …

I have no doubt in my mind that it was him who put your name in the Goblet even though I can’t be sure as to why …

We have to find out how he managed to escape from Azkaban, and then we’ll decide how to act.”

Erica nodded softly and then realized how tired she was and yawnedSeverus saw it and sighed “ You can sleep in here tonight …

You know where the room is… you’ll find everything in there …”

Erica nodded and kissed his cheek making him blush “ goodnight Professor …” she said before disappearing in the room, leaving Snape staring after her, his eyes wide with shock.

Had Potter just … kissed him?

A slow andbarely there smile found his way to his lips and he murmured “ Goodnight Erica …”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun Dun Dun!!!   
> Here it is another chapter !   
> Sorry for the long wait but I’ve been busy.  
> Things are getting interesting now…  
> Severus and Erica have a theory… but will it be the truth?  
> Will Erica be able to find a way to breath under water?  
> I know that Barty Crouch’s death happens later in the book but this is an alternative story…   
> I needed Severus and Erica being able to put two and two together so the story will be very different from now …  
> Hope you liked the chapter !


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